The Potential for Something More
by lamujergris
Summary: For the first time in his life, Harry felt like he had potential for something more than death. He could relax and do something more with his life than fight or die. He could have a career. He could have Ginny…it was surreal. Post DH
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I own nothing. All belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter One

Harry had never felt as conflicted in his life. Sure, he had seen death. He'd had his outbursts of anger after Sirius' death, and he'd mourned for Dumbledore. He'd grieved over Dobby for days at Shell Cottage, and he'd spent countless nights wondering about his parents. Death was nothing new.

But this feeling—this feeling of pure, unbridled elation—was different. He couldn't find it in himself to grieve for those who had fallen. That moment in the forest had changed death for Harry. The Resurrection Stone made death seem different. Seeing those who had gone made him realize that they didn't blame him, and being in the state of limbo with Dumbledore made him confident that death didn't lead to a scary, dark place. As his mentor had told him, he should not pity the dead.

Of course he would mourn the loss of Lupin, Tonks, Colin, Fred, and all the others who had died. His feeling of sadness would pale in comparison to the despair George felt at the loss of his twin, and Andromeda Tonks felt at the loss of virtually her entire family. But at that particular moment, as Harry lay in his four poster bed in his familiar Gryffindor Dormitory, his grief was overshadowed by…. something like happiness.

For the first time in his life, Harry felt like he had potential for something more than death. He could relax and do something more with his life than fight or die. He could have a career. He could have Ginny…it was surreal.

It was strange to be alone in Gryffindor Tower. He assumed that Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean and the others were in the Great Hall with their families. Kreacher had left him a sandwich, some onion soup, and treacle tart, the remains of which were positioned on a tray at the foot of the bed. Harry stretched and sat up, cracking his neck. He wondered how long he'd been lying in bed. Unable to sleep, he had aimlessly picked at the food until it became cold and then simply sat in the dark contemplating the events of the past 24 hours.

Harry briefly had a vision of muggles after car crashes. He knew that they had panic attacks and, even if they were physically fine, they still had emotionally trauma that took time to process. Was he going through that? He wasn't even sure. After leaving Dumbledore's office, he'd gone straight to his dorm and hadn't spoken to anyone since. He glanced at his hands—they weren't shaking, which was a good sign. He'd managed to eat most of the food that Kreacher dropped off, and surely that meant he was fine…right?

As Harry stood, he observed himself in the mirror and noticed for the first time the state he was in. His hair was matted with sweat and blood and stuck awkwardly to his head. His face was covered in small cuts and bruises, and he had a thick 5 o'clock shadow. His clothes were torn, stained, and, well, smelled horrid. He desperately needed a shower, but wondered what he'd do about his clothes, as all of his things were in Hermione's bag.

As this thought occurred to him, there was a gentle tap on the door. Harry hadn't even bothered to turn the lights on, so he just grabbed his wand and muttered _lumos_ before stumbling over to open the door. As if she'd known exactly his predicament, Hermione stood on the other side.

"Hi." She said softly, looking at him nervously. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I didn't sleep at all actually, and I was about to come find you. What's going on?" Harry glanced behind her, wondering where Ron was.

"Everyone else is downstairs—well, everyone who hasn't gone home, that is. Luna left a few hours ago to calm her father down. Neville and his grandmother are still there, but I'm sure they'll need to leave soon. Ron is—well—I kind of felt like I was intruding, so I've been up here for about an hour…" Hermione looked as if she wanted to cry, but no tears came. Perhaps she didn't have any left.

"Ah..okay. Hey, do you have your bag with you? I need to shower, but I don't have any clean clothes…"

"Oh, of course!" Hermione slid the strap off her shoulder as if she'd completely forgotten it was still there. Harry was surprised it had survived the battle. She rummaged through it and withdrew a clean pair of jeans and a soft tshirt. "Will this do?"

"Yeah, thanks. I'll be out in a few minutes, will you still be here?"

"Yes, I actually should shower as well." She pushed a lock of unruly hair out of her eyes and sighed before turning and trudging down the boys dormitory stairs.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry was sitting in front of the Gryffindor fireplace as Hermione came trudging down the stairs, squeezing her wet hair with a towel. "It's weird, isn't it?" she asked, "that from up here you can't even tell. The tower looks the same as always—like the battle never even happened, and like we'd never been away."

She perched on the edge of the chair opposite Harry, who nodded. He was still sleep-deprived, but felt somewhat better after the shower. "Harry?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"Yes?"

"What was in the snitch?"

He looked at her. The thought briefly crossed his mind that he shouldn't tell her. Dumbledore had meant for only him to know, but chances were she had already figured it out. Hermione had been on this journey as long as he had—she'd stuck with him even when Ron left, and she'd been tortured worse than anyone at Malfoy Manor. Harry sighed. "I'm sure you have a pretty good guess, Hermione."

She looked awestruck, which was an unusual sight for Hermione. "I mean, the thought crossed my mind…but I didn't allow myself to believe that it could—that they could actually be real. Harry, does that mean you're the master of death?"

"You heard what I said to Dumbledore. I don't want it—any of it—except the cloak. The stone is gone, and I'm not going to go looking for it. Only you, me, and Ron will know for sure that it ever even existed. I'll put the wand back where it belongs and that will be that. I'll live a long and happy life and die whenever I'm supposed to."

Hermione was quiet. Harry studied her; she looked more tired than he'd ever seen her, but not exactly sad. Although her eyes were puffy and red from crying, he knew that she was going through an emotional rollercoaster similar to his. For the first time in months, she didn't look like she was calculating or planning. After a moment of silence, she met his gaze.

"What do you want to do now, Harry?"

He didn't respond at first. Honestly, he didn't really feel like doing anything. But he knew sleep would not come either, and there was a tugging feeling pulling him towards wherever Ginny was. He hadn't properly talked to her in nearly a year, and there was so much to say.

"Well…I want to see Ginny. And Ron, and everyone else. But I don't want to interrupt...I also need to speak with Andromeda Tonks. What do you want to do?"

"I have no idea, at this moment. But I'm sure they'd all love to see you down there. We can go whenever you're ready."

"Alright." Harry stood and extended his hand. For the first time in a while, he saw Hermione grin. She placed her hand in his as he helped her up, and the two friends walked hand in hand towards the Great Hall.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I own nothing! All belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Two

Ginny awoke with a start. She looked around her—apparently she'd fallen asleep in the Great Hall. Percy was still chatting animatedly with her parents a few seats away. They were just far enough that she couldn't quite make out the conversation. George and Ron were sitting on the other side of Percy, not saying each other. Ron had his arm around George's shoulders. George looked like an empty shell.

Across the hall, Bill and Fleur were gathering up their things and speaking with Professor McGonagall. Ginny assumed they were heading back to Shell Cottage, but she didn't really have the strength to get up and say goodbye. She'd see them again soon enough. Charlie must have already left—he'd never been very good with emotional situations or large groups of people.

Neville and his grandmother were still sitting at the next table over, chatting with Professors Sprout, Slughorn, and Flitwick, as well as Seamus Finnigan, his mother, and Dean Thomas. Numerous other students and their families still remained, although the absence of the Malfoys caught Ginny's attention.

Ginny ran a hand through her long red hair, trying in vain to get some of the knots out. Suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall creaked open, and a clean-shaven Harry stumbled in, closely followed by Hermione. Ginny stood up straight, suddenly conscious of her appearance. Harry looked phenomenal, especially considering the hell they'd all just been through. Sure, he still had dark circles under his eyes and had undoubtedly lost about 20 pounds since Bill and Fleur's wedding, but Ginny couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Although she desperately wanted to run to him, she found that she couldn't move. Unfortunately, Ron stood up and walked over to Harry and Hermione, temporarily blocking them from Ginny's view. She watched as Harry hugged Ron and awkwardly patted him on the back. The trio stood murmuring quietly to one another, and Ginny was surprised that Harry's entrance into the Great Hall hadn't really caused a disturbance. Either everyone else was so lost in their own conversations that they didn't notice him, or they figured he needed some normalcy for once.

Finally, after a few minutes, Ginny gathered her strength and courage and slowly walked over to her friends. Harry's eyes seemed to be on her from the moment she stood up, which made her heard flutter a bit. As soon as she reached the trio, he nearly knocked the breath out of her by engulfing her in a massive hug and lifting her off her feet. She giggled in spite of herself, and could feel Harry's answering grin against her hair. "Oi! What is this, a party?" Ron asked snidely, but Ginny and Harry paid him no mind. Once she was on her feet again, Harry pulled away from Ginny a few inches to get a good look at her.

"Are you all right?" She nodded and noticed Hermione tugging on Ron's hand out of the corner of her eye. They went and sat down with George while Harry and Ginny stood in the doorway gazing at each other. "Ginny…I have so much…I don't even know where to start…"

It was like she was twelve years old again, and unable to communicate in his presence. But this time, instead of running away in terror, Ginny threw her arms around his neck once more and silently pleaded for him to just hold her like that for a while. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she managed to whisper, "Let's get out of here."

Harry smiled the first genuine smile she'd seen in ages and gleefully took her hand, almost skipping as he led her out of the Great Hall and up the stairs toward the Gryffindor common room.

"I'm surprised you're not asking me a million questions." Harry said softly as he smoothed Ginny's hair. They were laying together on the sofa in front of the fireplace, and even in all of their perfect walks around grounds during his sixth year, they'd never been this intimate before. Harry was somewhat worried about her, because she was far less talkative than normal, but he didn't push the issue.

"We'll have time to talk about everything later." she whispered, nuzzling her head against his chest. Harry smiled. This was exactly what he needed. "I was so terrified, Harry. I know it's silly, but when you broke up with me, well, I…I just wanted to spend more time with you. And I knew that you didn't end it because you didn't like me anymore, but I was just afraid that…that…we'd never get another shot." Ginny sniffled, and Harry wondered if she was crying. He really had no response to that, so instead he just held her a little closer and stayed silent for a few moments.

"You know…" Harry muttered finally, "You were all I thought about. While we were gone, I thought about you all of the time. Sitting in your dormitory right here in Gryffindor Tower while I was in Scotland, Wales…and then, earlier, when I went to face him, you…well, you were the last thing to cross my mind." He hadn't intended to provide her with this information so quickly, but it just sort of spilled out.

Ginny sat up on one elbow and looked at him. Her chocolate eyes were glittering with tears, but so were his piercing green ones. An unspoken wave of love passed through them, and Harry knew in that moment that he would never, ever want to look at anyone else in his entire life. Ginny leaned down and kissed him softly, their first kiss since being reunited. She let her lips linger on his for a moment before pulling away and gazing at him once more. "Ginny?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"I know this is really silly, and probably totally inappropriate given the circumstances, but I really, really want us to just sort of…pick up where we left off. And be together again. Like a real, normal, teenage relationship. I want you to be my girlfriend. And I know you're probably scared, but I promise that I'll never, ever break up with you again, and I'll always protect you, and—"

Harry's rant was cut off by another kiss from Ginny. This one was a little more forceful, and soon Harry found himself wrapped up in her, unable to think about anything else in the world. When they finally broke apart, Ginny reached up to tie her hair away from her face before settling back down in the crook of Harry's shoulder. "You can take that as a yes, Harry." She smiled, and as he gazed down at her face, his heart burst with a joy that he'd never imagined he'd be able to feel again.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I own nothing. All belongs to J.K. Rowling. Also, thanks for the reviews! As a new author, I'm really glad you like it :)

Chapter Three

Harry and Ginny strolled hand in hand back into the Great Hall just as the orange sun was setting behind the castle. It was hard to keep track of the time that had passed since the battle. Hagrid had returned with Kingsley and several others after disposing of Voldemort's body. Neville was gone, and Mr. Weasley had evidently convinced George to return to the Burrow.

Hermione looked up and smiled as the pair entered the room. Ginny blushed and took a seat beside her when Harry leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'll be right back." She watched as he walked over to where Professor McGonagall was sitting with a few of the other professors who had stuck around.

"Ginny, dear, you need some sleep." Mrs. Weasley said, coming up behind her daughter and patting her on the shoulder. "I'd say it's about time we go back to the Burrow."

"What's Harry doing? I want to wait for him." Ginny barely looked up at her mother. She didn't want to take her eyes off Harry.

"Yes, of course, we can wait for Harry." Molly Weasley sighed and sat down next to Ron.

Percy was chatting with Kingsley, and although he had experienced a change of heart with regard to his family, it appeared that his pretentious attitude was the same as always. He strutted over to his mother, planted a kiss on her cheek, and said, "I'm going home, Mother. Kingsley told me he'll be in touch about my job. I'll be around to the Burrow soon, I promise."

"Alright dear, please be safe." She squeezed his hand tightly, but didn't have the sense of excitement that one would expect from a mother who had recently reunited with her son. Perhaps the horrific loss of Percy's brother was finally catching up with her.

Ginny really didn't feel like sitting with her family anymore, so her curiosity overcame her and she slowly walked over to where Harry was standing with Professor McGonagall. She half expected him to stop his conversation when he realized she was standing there, but to her delight he took her hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Of course I understand, Potter. We can certainly discuss it more later this week. The other Professors and I will be here trying to clean up the damage. Just come by whenever you're ready and I will be most willing to hear your tale." Professor McGonagall smiled, patted Harry on the shoulder, and walked away.

"What was that about?" Ginny inquired.

"I feel like I need to tell her what happened. Why we were gone, and what we were doing. I just…don't think I can tell her right now. I also wanted to tell her that I'm going to come back and help with cleanup. I just need to spend a little time with my friends and girlfriend first." He grinned down at her. She returned his gaze and silently led him to where the remaining members of her family were awaiting them.

"Harry, could you come outside with me for a moment?" Mr. Weasley asked suddenly. Everyone had been sitting silently around the dinner table, and all but George looked startled by this seemingly random request.

"Uh, sure, Mr. Weasley." Harry slid his hand out of Ginny's grasp and followed the older man out the door. Arthur Weasley said nothing as they walked across the dark yard. Finally they came to a stop in front of the shed where he kept all of his muggle artifacts.

"I have something for you, Harry. I've been working on it for a while, and it's finished. I didn't know when you'd be back so I hurried to get it done in time, and, well, it's just been sitting here for months so I figure now is as good a time as any to give it to you." He opened the door to the shed and pointed proudly to Sirius's old motorbike. "I'm sure you'll still prefer a broom, but as this belonged to Sirius, and then you rode in it with Hagrid, I thought you might want it."

Harry's mouth had dropped open. "Of course I want it! Thank you, Mr. Weasley! This is fantastic!"

"I thought it was one more thing for you to have to…remember…Sirius." Mr. Weasley's voice cracked. Harry's ecstatic euphoria vanished. He was suddenly hit once again with the realization that the Weasleys were grieving so heavily over Fred, and he had been utterly selfish to intrude on their suffering.

"I really appreciate it, Mr. Weasley." Harry said slowly. "And it will certainly serve as a reminder of my godfather, but I've learned that the most powerful reminder we have of those who have gone is the memory of them we carry in our hearts."

Mr. Weasley looked straight into Harry's eyes, his own glistening with tears. "So young, yet so wise. I guess life has given you plenty of practice with this type of thing, Harry. Thank you."

They walked back into the house. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, and Mrs. Weasley were still sitting around the dinner table, but Bill and Fleur had arrived and were both leaning against the kitchen counter. No one was speaking, and even though Harry longed to comfort them, he felt that his presence in this private family gathering was unwarranted. Ginny looked up at him, and he could tell by her expression that she wanted him to stay. He nodded at her and then motioned outside. Hermione caught this expression and looked at him questioningly, while soothingly rubbing Ron's back. Ginny stood up and followed him into the living room.

"You're not leaving?" She asked in a desperate, almost threatening tone.

"Just for a little while. I really need to speak with Andromeda Tonks, and I need to check on Grimmauld Place…I can't imagine the state it's in.."

"Why do I feel like that's an excuse to get out of here?" Ginny crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"Well..I just…your family needs time to grieve together—"

"Harry, you ARE part of the family!"

"—and I'll be back soon, I promise. As soon as I take care of a few things." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Ginny still wasn't happy about the situation, but she didn't say anything else as he quietly left the room and walked out into the darkening night.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I own nothing! All belongs to J.K. Rowling. Please give me feedback! 3

Chapter Four

Harry stood admiring the motorbike. He'd never driven one before, on land or in the air. His last experience with it was too traumatic to relive, but since he didn't have a broom, it was either this or apparition.

He wanted to procrastinate as long as possible. The visit to Andromeda was going to be difficult at best, and he really wished that he weren't going alone. Of course he couldn't have asked Ginny to go with him, but he seriously considered dragging Hermione. Their months together had gotten him used to her presence, and she could always say the right thing in a situation where he was at a loss for words. However, he knew that Ron needed Hermione right now, and, after all, Teddy was HIS godson, so this was probably something he should pursue alone.

Harry tentatively raised a leg over the bike and sat down. He glanced at the various switches, buttons, and knobs and wondered what in hell he was thinking. "Oh well, here it goes," Harry muttered to himself, and pushed a green button that appeared to be the ignition. The bike sprung to life and raced out of the shed. Harry held on for dear life as it rose higher and higher into the air, smoke and dust sputtering out of the exhaust pipe. Finally, the bike seemed to reach a level altitude, and Harry had to regroup and figure out how to steer.

After a few minutes of soaring through the air, Harry realized he was actually enjoying himself. Mr. Weasley was right, he still preferred a broom, but this form of transportation would do in a pinch, and would come in handy if he had a lot of luggage to carry.

He started to descend near the Tonks' house. The only time he had ever been there was the last time he had ridden this motorbike—a night full of unhappy memories. The landing went surprisingly well, and he laughed in spite of himself at the realization that he was much better at this than Hagrid.

Trying to collect his thoughts and prepare himself for the coming conversation, Harry knocked on the door. Even though it was dark outside, it still early evening, and there was a light on in the front room, so he knew Andromeda was home. She answered the door with a tearstained face, and he immediately felt guilty for bothering her. "Harry!" she exclaimed, "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Mrs. Tonks, I…I wanted to talk to you about Teddy."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Now?"

"Well, I feel that this is as good a time as any. May I come in?" She obliged, and led him into the sitting room. There were baby things strewn all across the room, and there was food on the table that had obviously been left out for a couple of days.

"Sorry it's a mess. I haven't felt much like cleaning since…" she looked right into Harry's eyes. "Honestly if not for Teddy, I wouldn't have the energy to get out of bed."

Harry nodded sympathetically and sat down on the couch. "Mrs. Tonks, I'm sure you know that Remus and Tonks made me Teddy's godfather." She nodded in reply and gazed at him with a tired, but curious, expression. "Well, I didn't get to spend much time with my godfather, but he was a tremendous influence on me, and I really wish he'd been around when I was growing up. So I'd like to do that for Teddy. Be around, that is."

She didn't say anything for a long time, but instead just looked him straight in the eye, as if assessing him. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. "Teddy is the only family I have left. He is the only reminder I have of my husband and my daughter. I'm not inclined to share him with someone who may put him in harm's way." Harry felt shocked, and attempted to keep a straight face as she continued. "That being said, you have proven yourself to be extremely brave and caring. The way I understand it, you were willing to sacrifice yourself in order to save everyone else at the battle, so I cannot deny that you are a caring young man. And Remus trusted you and valued your opinion above virtually everyone else on this earth, so yes, I suppose you do deserve to be in Teddy's life. And it will be a great comfort to me to know that he has a strong role model." She smiled softly.

Harry reached out a hand and clasped her shoulder. "Thank you." He smiled. "May I see him?"

She nodded and pointed back towards what Harry guessed to be the bedrooms. He walked quickly towards the first door and noticed that a makeshift nursery had been constructed. He walked toward the crib and peered down for the first time at the sleeping baby, whose hands were clutched tightly in fists around his blankets. Harry reached down and smoothed the fluff of turquoise hair back with his hand. Teddy had no idea that his parents were dead, no idea that they had sacrificed themselves in much the same way that Harry's own parents had, in order to make the world a better place for their child. He would keep his promise to Lupin, and someday he would tell Teddy exactly why his parents died. He would make sure that Teddy understood.

Two hours later, Harry was standing outside Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He'd been waiting around on the street for a while, willing himself to go in. This was a much more daunting task than facing Andromeda. It had been months since he'd been inside his godfather's old house, and had no idea what the state of it would be since the Death Eaters had gotten in. He nervously clutched his holly wand, his hand twitching as he tried to gather enough courage to go in alone.

"This is stupid," he muttered to himself, "I should have brought Kingsley or some Aurors with me." But the Gryffindor bravery finally won out, and he managed to walk up the steps and into the door.

It was oddly silent. The portrait of Sirius' mother hung awkwardly on the wall. Someone had managed to break the sticking charm and had evidently searched to see if there was anything hidden behind the portrait. Sirius' mother no longer occupied it, and Harry was glad of this because it meant there was no one to scream at him.

He muttered "_Lumos" _and walked down the hall. Finally, an idea occurred to him and he felt absolutely stupid for not thinking of it sooner. "Kreacher?" he asked, and immediately, the house elf popped out of nowhere and landed in the hallway in front of him.

"Ah, Master Harry has returned home! What must Kreacher do?"

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Well Kreacher, we need to find out what damage was done, and try to make this place a home again."

"Yes, sir!" Kreacher snapped his fingers and a light turned on in the hall. "Kreacher shall get straight to work!"

By midnight, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place looked similar to the way Harry, Ron and Hermione had left it before leaving for the Ministry. The Death Eaters had searched every room of the house, leaving destruction in their wake, but it appeared that nothing was missing. Harry was actually slightly relieved that they had been able to remove the portraits that were stuck to the walls, except for the fact that many of the Gryffindor decorations that Sirius had in his room were now torn and scattered across the floor. To his great delight, however, the picture of the Marauders was still intact, and his father, Sirius, and Remus were smiling up at him from the floor next to the bed. Harry had a sudden urge to cut Pettigrew out of the picture, but he resisted, folded the photo, and placed it on top of the desk.

Kreacher was absolutely giddy that he had returned to his beloved home. He threw himself into returning it to the glory it had seen for those few weeks while Harry and his friends were seeking refuge. Harry felt certain that in a few days time, the house would be quite fit to live in once more.

Out of habit, Harry cast a few protective enchantments around the dwelling before traipsing up to bed. He hadn't properly slept since the battle, and once his head hit the pillow, he realized that he'd been running on pure adrenaline for days. His eyes drifted shut and he thought of Ginny, and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, they could make this London location their permanent home together.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I own nothing. All belongs to J.K. Rowling. Please keep reviewing, they make me happy :)

Chapter Five

The next few days passed by in a blur. Harry occasionally stopped by the Burrow to check on Ginny and the other Weasleys, and spent the night when he stayed up late talking. Fred's funeral passed without incident. There were plenty of tears, and many former Hogwarts students came to pay their respects. George gave a tearful eulogy, but managed to crack a few jokes that made the audience smile.

Harry spent a great deal of time cleaning up Grimmauld Place, and even took Kreacher to Diagon Alley to buy some new things for the house. The shopping district had taken on new life after the battle—many of the old stores had reopened, and even though there was still an air of distress, it seemed that things were slowly getting back to normal.

Everywhere Harry went, people shook his hand and thanked him for what he did. This made him a little guilty that he hadn't kept his promise to Professor McGonagall and explained the whole story yet. He'd have to head to Hogwarts soon to chat with her and help with the cleanup.

While on Diagon Alley, Harry withdrew quite the load of gold out of his parents' vault and decided to splurge. He eagerly walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies and proceeded to spend a great deal of money on something that he knew would make him very happy.

Every night, Harry would take Sirius' motorbike to the Burrow and spend a few hours of the evening with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He tried talking to George, but George stayed secluded in his room most of the time, only emerging for meals where he sat for hours looking comatose at the table. Other members of the family informed Harry that during the day they could hear minor explosions coming from the twins' old room, followed by prolonged periods of hearing George sobbing in despair. No one knew what to say, so they left him to himself for the most part.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione usually locked themselves in either Ginny or Ron's bedroom and chatted for hours in the evening. Between the three of them, they had filled Ginny in on most of the events of the past year, and she seemed to take it pretty well. She told them of the horrors of Hogwarts, but tried to play it off as if nothing too terrible had happened while they were away. Harry knew better, but didn't pry because he doubted she wanted to dwell on the past.

On one such evening, Harry had been playing a game of wizard's chess with a distracted Ron while Hermione and Ginny looked on. Ron had been awfully quiet since the battle, and Hermione had tried everything to get him to open up.

"What we need is a fun night out." Harry said nonchalantly. He'd been thinking about this idea for a week, but hadn't actually believed he'd put it into words.

"What kind of fun night out?" Ginny asked curiously, sliding onto his lap and looping her arms around his neck. Ron looked away pointedly.

"I have a few ideas. Just something to distract us for a little while. We haven't had proper fun in months." He looked pointedly at Hermione, knowing that she would be able to back him up on this.

"It's not the right time to be having fun, mate. We've just had a funeral." Ron scowled.

"Ronald…I think Harry has a point. That's exactly WHY we should have some fun. Do you think Fred would want us to sit around and mope?" Hermione didn't wait for Ron to answer. "Of course he wouldn't. He'd want us out there living our lives like young and carefree teenagers."

"When have you ever been a young and carefree teenager, Hermione?" Ginny teased, and Hermione stuck her tongue out in response.

"What do you think?" Harry asked Ginny, tightening his grip around her waist.

"I'll go anywhere, as long as it's with you." She said softly, gazing into his piercing green eyes.

"Oh gag me." Ron rolled his eyes.

"Come on Ron, what can it hurt to have a little fun? Hermione's right, Fred wouldn't want this. I say we go." Ginny stated simply.

"Alright, fine. But you lot better not make me regret this decision."

"Right. We'll go tonight then. Wear something nice." Harry gave Ginny's stomach a playful squeeze and stood them both up. "Come to Grimmauld Place and meet me—I have a surprise there anyway."

An hour later, Ginny, Ron and Hermione apparated onto the doorstep of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Ginny tapped the large, snake shaped knocker and Harry immediately opened the door. He had clearly showered, as his hair was still dripping a bit, and had on a pale grey button down shirt and nice, new jeans. His eyes sparkled as he took in Ginny's appearance—she had opted to go simple in a pair of dark skinny jeans and boots and a halter neck red shirt that matched her fiery hair.

"You look lovely." Harry smiled as he pulled her into a hug. "Well, lovely isn't exactly the word I would use, but I can't say what I really think with your brother standing right there." He whispered into her hair. She giggled and pulled away, though still keeping a firm grip on his hand.

"So, Harry, do we get a grand tour?" Ron asked, leading Hermione across the threshold.

Just as Ron asked the question, Kreacher came bounding into the room. "Master Ron! Mistress Hermione! Kreacher is most pleased to welcome you back! Perhaps you would like me to take your coats?"

"We'll actually be leaving soon, Kreacher, but we may be back later." Harry said politely. "But would you show Ron and Hermione what we've done upstairs? I need to speak with Ginny."

"Ah, yes of course, Mistress Ginny, what a wonderful surprise awaits you!" Kreacher nodded enthusiastically. "Come, come, Master Ron, Mistress Hermione, Kreacher and Master Harry have been most hard working this week and have made much improvement to the house…" Hermione turned and looked curiously at Harry as she was led away by the old house elf, but he shrugged noncommittally and waited until they were out of sight before leading Ginny quickly down the stairs.

"Harry, where are we going?" Ginny laughed as he practically dragged her after him. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she gasped. The once dingy basement had been completely renovated into a den complete with a pool table, mini-bar, couches, and a muggle television. Atop the pool table lay Ginny's present—a shiny new Firebolt.

She screamed.

"Do you like it? I know it's no way to make up for all the time we lost, but I thought I could start with a 'I'm sorry I was gone for a year' present…" Harry smiled.

"Harry! It's amazing! I can't believe you spent all of this money…"

"Well, I bought a new one for myself too. I must admit, I went a little overboard, but I think I—we—deserve it. Besides, you have to brush up on Quidditch if you want to win the cup this year."

"Who says I'll be playing Quidditch, huh? Maybe I'm not going back to Hogwarts." The smile faded from her lips.

"Either way, you'll have a speedy new broom to play with." He smiled. "Don't worry—there's plenty of time to figure all of that out later. In the meantime, maybe we can take them out for a test drive in the next few days." He snaked his arms around her waist while she admired her broom.

After a moment, Ginny noticed what the new brooms were laying on. "Harry, what is this?" She gingerly touched the green felt and turned around to eye him suspiciously.

"It's a pool table. Muggle game. Would you like to learn how to play?" She shrugged and nodded, and he grabbed a pool cue from the rack that was hanging on the wall. Harry slid the cue between her fingers and leaned over her, his lips brushing against her neck. Ginny shivered. "So you use this white ball to knock the other balls into the pocket." He gently tugged on her wrists to pull the cue back from the cueball. "You have to hit it at just the right spot—"

"Whoa, mate, nice man cave!" Ron said, impressed. He and Hermione rounded the corner just in time to see Harry and Ginny leaning over the pool table. Ginny burst into a fit of giggles and even Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the term.

"Really, Ronald?" Hermione gave him a sharp look, then softened once she took in her surroundings. "Wow, Harry, when did you do all this?"

"It's been a work in progress all week. I figured I would try and make it a cross between the Gryffindor common room—" he motioned to the red couches and cozy fireplace "and the Dursley's muggle living room." He pointed to the television. "It was something they had but I was never allowed to watch. So now it's mine. Anyone care for a butterbeer?"

"Well, shouldn't we get going? I mean, you told us to dress up, so I hope you don't expect us to just sit around your house all night." Hermione pointed down at her black dress and denim jacket.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Let's go then. We'll have plenty of time to learn about muggle games later." Harry grinned down at Ginny and eagerly took her hand, awaiting the night ahead of them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Author's Note: I own nothing. All belongs to J.K. Rowling.

P.S. The song "Noticed" by Mutemath served as a bit of inspiration while writing this chapter. While writing the slow dance, I was listening to "You Are Mine", also by Mutemath. I highly recommend both!

"Harry, where are we?" Hermione giggle as the quartet stumbled down a dark alleyway. "I know we're in muggle London, but I've never been to this district before…"

Harry laughed at the expressions of his friends. Ron looked terrified, Ginny looked curious and excited, and Hermione was almost patronizing. "Don't worry, we're almost there…" They turned a corner and immediately noticed a line of people wrapping around the block, waiting to get into a loud nightclub.

"No…this is NOT what we're doing!" Ron groaned.

"YES! I've always wanted to do something like this!" Ginny squealed and grabbed the side of Harry's face to kiss him on the cheek. He laughed and lightly hugged her waist.

"I'm NOT going in there."

"Oh, come on, Ronald. It will certainly be a new experience." Hermione tugged on his arm and pulled him towards the end of the line.

"We're actually not waiting in line." Harry smiled. "I called ahead and told them we were coming. They're waiting for us at the door." He led his friends up to the door of the club, clutching tightly to Ginny's hand. When they reached the beginning of the line, Harry spoke confidently to the bouncer. "Yes, I've called ahead. Harry Potter."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Potter. I understand you and your friends are here to have fun tonight, all expenses paid. Please help yourselves to the bar, and enjoy your evening." The bouncer smiled, which clashed with his bulging muscles and generally intimidating appearance. He lifted the velvet rope and allowed them into the posh nightclub.

There were a rainbow of strobe lights illuminating the dark club, and a huge dance floor was crowded with couples and groups of friends dancing. A large mahogany bar stretched across the entire length of the dance floor, and a separate circular bar was perched atop a raised platform in the center of the floor. Several smaller rooms were curtained off partially and had cushiony couches decorated with lavish fabrics. Across the room, a line of raised tables and low booths were filled with people chatting and laughing. Several waitresses in skimpy outfits strolled around, dancing to the music and offering customers food and drinks.

"So, I know it's different, but I thought it would at least be a distraction!" Harry yelled over the thumping bass of the song.

"Harry, this is fantastic!" Hermione screamed, dancing in place while Ron looked at her, dumbfounded. "Come on, Ron, let's dance!" she pulled him along behind her and joined the throng of people gyrating to the music. Ron shot a terrified look back at Harry and Ginny, who just laughed and shrugged.

"What would you like to do?" Harry leaned in close to speak into Ginny's ear.

"Drinks?" She mouthed back. He laughed. She wasn't even seventeen, but Harry figured a few drinks couldn't hurt. They made their way to the circular bar in the middle of the dance floor so they could keep an eye on Ron and Hermione, shoving their way through the masses. Once they reached the bar, Ginny looked at Harry in horror. "Harry, this is a muggle bar! I've never had a sip of a muggle drink before…"

"Two beers, please!" Harry commanded the bartender, who nodded. "Don't worry, I haven't really either. Life with the Dursleys' didn't really allow for much exploration of adult beverages." He laughed. Ginny was clearly having a hard time understanding him in the loud club, so he just shook his head and smiled at her. He didn't care that they couldn't talk—he was perfectly content just looking at her. She hadn't changed that much in the months that they had been apart, but there were subtle differences. She had lost weight, and her jawline was more pronounced. Her eyes had a hardened expression that had always been there due to her stubbornness, but was now more pronounced because of her recent experiences. He hoped this wasn't too soon—after all, Fred's funeral had only been about a week ago, but she had agreed with him that Fred wouldn't want them to sit around moping…and they had wasted so much time apart…

Lost in thought, Harry barely noticed the barman set two bottles in front of them. Ginny handed him one, and he clinked the top of his glass against hers before tipping it back to his lips.

"Ugh!" Ginny groaned after her first sip. "That's horrid!"

Harry laughed, feeling the same way. Muggle beer had NOTHING on butterbeer. Ginny continued to sip on hers, as if determined to make herself like it. "Let's try something else!" Harry suggested. He picked up the tabletop menu and glanced at it. "What about Gin? It's your namesake drink!"

Ginny giggled and nodded. Harry flagged down the barman again and placed their order. This drink went over much better, and Harry was already starting to feel the effects. Being chivalrous, he determined that they should probably hold off on ordering anything else for a while. As he was thinking this, he felt someone tugging at his sleeve.

"Come on, you two!" Hermione laughed, pushing her hair out of her eyes. She was already sweating profusely but had a huge smile on her face. Ron was standing a few feet behind her at the edge of the crowd, and he surprisingly looked just as exhilarated. Harry offered Ginny his hand and they followed Hermione into the crowd.

Harry wasn't as comfortable with this as his friends, but he tried to go along with it without looking nerdy. He held Ginny's hands and twirled her around. Finally he gave up on trying to be graceful and started rocking out, not caring how strange or uncoordinated he looked. Ginny threw her head back and laughed gleefully. When the song changed to one with more of a beat, Ginny turned her back to him and pulled his arms around her waist. They danced like that for a while, and Harry felt himself blushing. It was…arousing, to say the least.

The music changed abruptly to a slow song, and Harry spun Ginny around to face him. She twined her hands around his neck and began to sway to the music. Harry stared into her deep brown eyes, and suddenly had the urge to tell her he loved her. He couldn't actually say this—it was completely the wrong moment, and especially considering the tragedies that had just occurred. Harry wanted to wait until the perfect moment and make sure that Ginny knew it was sincere, and not just an outpouring of emotion resulting from the recent trauma. It was true, of course; he'd loved her as a friend for years. As Ron's sister he'd been naturally close to her for their early years at Hogwarts, and he was protective over her even when she didn't need to be protected. But that nature had quickly progressed into something more. The moment he had realized he was jealous over her snogging Dean during his sixth year he'd known that he wanted her in a strictly non-platonic fashion. She had become something of an obsession, the only thing that kept him sane through the tough weeks after Dumbledore's funeral and the horrible months on the road over the last year. Some might have been skeptical to see if his feelings for her remained the same when they were reunited, but he found now that his emotions were stronger than ever. He adored her, and while he was trying to give her space to grieve with and comfort her family, he missed her every minute she was away. After waking up from his encounter with Dumbledore, Harry's love for her had solidified. Of course the girl he thought about right before he died was his true love, his soulmate, as cliché as it sounded…

As Harry was contemplating all of this, Ginny reached up and kissed him. It started as a gentle peck on the lips, but quickly turned into a more passionate embrace. His hands traveled up her back, and he realized they had stopped swaying to the music. Standing stationary, he threw himself into the kiss, trying to convey how much he had missed her, how much he cared about her, and how much he wanted to tell her that she was his entire life, his reason for breathing. She responded eagerly, and neither of them seemed to care that complete strangers surrounded them. In that moment, the world stood still.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I own nothing. All belongs to J.K. Rowling. I feel blah about this chapter. It was necessary and transitional, but I definitely want to have more action in the coming chapters. Please review! I'll definitely have one or two more out by the end of the weekend.

Chapter Seven

Harry awoke to something tapping him gently on the leg. "Wake up, sleepyhead." Ginny cooed. He fumbled around for his glasses, and when finally putting them on he took in his surroundings. He had been sleeping on one of the couches in his new basement, and Ginny was perching crosslegged on the armrest nearest his feet. She looked adorable in pajamas, her long straight hair in a high ponytail atop her head. Last nights makeup was still smeared underneath her eyes.

The events of the previous evening came rushing back to Harry. He and Ginny had shared a few more dances before walking out to the back alley to apparate back to the Burrow. They had left Ron and Hermione furiously making out on the dancefloor, deciding that attempting to break the couple up and take them home would be useless. Once arriving an acre away from the Burrow, Harry and Ginny had continued their own passionate embrace and ended up tripping over each other in the muddy swamp beyond the yard as they got caught up in their tryst. Laughing, Harry had escorted Ginny to the door but opted not to go inside, as he didn't particularly want to talk to her parents in his tipsy, mud-splattered state. The memories beyond that did not include Ginny returning to Grimmauld Place with him, so he looked at her quizzically.

"Mum was waiting up. She asked where Ron was, and I told her he and Hermione were spending the night with you. She insisted that I come back here, since apparently I was an idiot for assuming that my parents would want me home at a reasonable hour." Ginny snorted. "I don't know what's gotten into her, honestly. I figured that with everything that's happened she'd be more overprotective than usual, but she's actually loosening the reigns."

Harry considered this. "Maybe she figures you should get to have some fun? Or spend as much time as you can with the people you love because we've all learned that you never know how much time you've got." He watched her face turn solemn as she considered this.

"I guess. I don't know. But anyway, she told me to get upstairs and get my pajamas and my toothbrush, and then she flooed me back here. And when I came looking for you, Kreacher told me that you'd pretty much passed out as soon as you walked in the door." She giggled. "So overwhelmed that you couldn't even make it up to your bed…"

"What can I say, you're pretty overwhelming." Harry grinned, "But in a good way," He added when she smacked him on the leg. "So, what's on your agenda for the day? And by the way, whatever did happen to Ron and Hermione?"

"Well, they weren't back when I got here, so I just went upstairs to your room and fell asleep. But a couple hours later I heard some obnoxious laughing and someone stumbling up the stairs. Pretty sure they're still locked in the guest room." She rolled her eyes. "Never would have guessed that those two would be the ones to really let their hair down, huh? And as for my plans for the day, I don't have any. Why, what were you thinking?"

"Well, I promised Professor McGonagall that I'd come help with Hogwarts cleanup. I need to tell her some things anyway. I've been putting that off for too long. Would you like to come?"

"Sure. I should tell Mum what we're doing. But I can floo over there and be right back."

"Okay, that will give me time to clear my head." Harry sat up. "We really didn't have that much to drink last night, did we? I feel so disoriented."

Ginny leaned down and settled herself across from him on the couch, her hands on his knees. "Harry, you have the right to feel disoriented. You've barely taken a moment to just sit and process everything. As fantastic as last night was, are you sure you shouldn't just have some down time? I don't want you to push yourself, and I'm sure Professor McGonagall will understand. Other people CAN get things done without you around, you know." She teased.

"I know, but I'm fine. I've been putting this off long enough. And I have taken time for myself." He ignored her worried expression. "I promise. Now let me go check on the lovebirds upstairs." He rolled his eyes and stood, heading for the stairs.

The first thing Harry heard as he padded towards his bedroom was the sound of Hermione giggling like mad from the guest room next door. He paused in the hallway, wondering if he really wanted to know what they were up to in there. Finally he knocked and yelled, "Oi! Ginny and I are going to Hogwarts today, if you two ever untangle yourselves from each other and want to join us."

Hermione squeaked, something large and heavy tumbled to the floor, and suddenly the door opened. Harry peered around his female friend to see Ron crumpled on the floor, rubbing his elbow. "Hi, Harry!" Hermione said, almost a little too brightly. "Ronald and I are actually planning something…last night was fantastic, by the way..we'll get ready really fast and be out of here soon…you and Ginny have fun!" she slammed the door in his face.

Harry stood in shock. "Whatever," he mumbled to himself, and set about the task of showering and making himself look presentable for his meeting with Professor McGonagall.

Thirty minutes later, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were gathered in the kitchen, where Kreacher was force-feeding them juice and toast. "Mum told me to pack some clothes, because Dad said the renovations are taking longer than expected and we might want to spend a few nights at Hogwarts." Ginny pushed a lock of her freshly showered wet hair behind her ear and took a sip of her juice.

"That's a good idea. I'll take some as well. I was thinking…we could try out our new brooms today to get there." Harry suggested, and Ginny beamed.

"That would be fantastic! I bet I'll be a hundred times faster than you now." She joked.

Hermione cleared her throat, pulling Ginny and Harry's attention back to the other end of the table. "So Ron and I have been thinking…"

"Yeah?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Well, my parents are still in Australia. And I really need to go get them…and Ronald has offered to accompany me…"

"When?" Harry asked. He was suddenly a bit hurt that he hadn't been invited, but honestly until this moment he hadn't even thought about Hermione's parents. How could he have been so inconsiderate? This thought then led him to the Dursleys, another family that had been evacuated from their home…should he seek them out and explain the situation?

"Soon. We're thinking of going and talking to Kingsley today." Hermione gazed patiently at Harry. "This is really tough, Harry. Of course we want you to come with us, but I feel like there is more for you to take care of here at the moment." She looked pointedly at Ginny. "And I really don't want to wait any longer—it will be really difficult reversing the memory charm…"

"Hermione, I understand." Harry said, a little shortly. He couldn't help it. He didn't like the idea of them going on an adventure without him.

"We'll be back really soon, mate." Ron spoke finally. "After all, I need to come back to make sure you keep your paws off my sister."

Harry couldn't help but laugh at that. "I can't make any promises." He reached over and squeezed Ginny's hand. "I guess things are just going to be different now. No big adventures. No more thinking we can conquer the world."

"You say that like it's a bad thing, Harry. Aren't you the one who said you've had enough trouble?" Hermione scolded.

"And besides, mate, when you say there's no more conquering the world? You're forgetting that we already did." Ron grinned at his best friend and lightly punched his arm. Harry returned the smile, and felt Ginny squeeze his hand a little harder. Of course things were going to be different—but his friends were right. Why was that a bad thing?


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: I own nothing; all belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling. Thanks for all of your reviews, I really appreciate those of you who are keeping with this story! The next chapter is already written and will be posted tomorrow. (It's steamy, so prepare yourselves!)

Chapter Eight

After saying goodbye to Ron and Hermione (which brought tears to Harry's eyes, but Ginny averted her gaze and pretended not to notice), the pair hopped on their brooms and raised into the air, leaving London behind and flying toward Hogwarts.

Ginny hadn't felt so free in months. Her new Firebolt was exceptionally fast, and she swooped past Harry laughing gleefully. They twisted and turned, dove and weaved around each other as they passed over the tiny towns and lush green fields.

"What do you think?" Harry yelled across the wind.

"It's fantastic!" Ginny responded enthusiastically, letting out a whoop of pleasure. "Race ya!" She took off like a bullet, her red hair flying behind her. She had forgotten how much she loved flying—it was one of the best things about Quidditch. She couldn't wait to be back on the pitch, racing around, chasing the Quaffle and listening to the crowd cheer every time she scored. Harry sped past her, taking advantage of her moment of distraction. Ginny smiled; she loved that he didn't let her win. That was the big difference between Harry and Dean. While her ex considered her fragile and unable to take care of herself, Harry saw her as an equal. When he was Quidditch captain his sixth year, he had frequently looked to her for advice, and she loved that he respected her enough not to belittle her. She pushed forward; they were neck in neck. Finally Harry turned his head and had a familiar gleam in his eye. She slowed, and they resumed a more relaxed pace.

"Let's call it a tie—I want to enjoy the flight." Harry smiled.

Before she knew it, Hogsmeade came into view in the distance. Harry motioned to begin the decent, and the pair came to a halt right past the entrance gates of Hogwarts grounds. They slung their brooms on their backs and entered the gates hand in hand.

Ginny was shocked to see the state of the castle. In a matter of a couple of weeks, the Hogwarts professors had cleaned up the majority of the rubble and erected a massive stone memorial next to Dumbledore's tomb. On it were the names of all who had died in the battle, etched into eternity. Ginny choked back tears when she noticed Fred's name, next to Colin Creevy, Lupin and Tonks, and the various other who had died, etched into eternity on the dark stone.

Once they entered the castle, they noticed there was still much to be done. Professor Slughorn was busy magicking the staircases back to their former glory, and when he noticed that they had entered, he stepped over a pile of marble chips to clap Harry on the back and proclaim, "Harry, my boy! Hero of the hour! And you've brought the feisty Ms. Weasley, how wonderful! Well the more the merrier, things will be back to normal before you know it!"

"Thank you sir, it certainly does feel more like it used to." Harry looked around him, taking in the surroundings. Ginny took his hand. "We actually need to speak to Professor McGonagall, and then Ginny and I will be happy to help with the cleanup efforts."

"Oh, yes of course, she's in the Headmasters—well, Headmistress, I suppose!—office. No password at the moment, I'm sure she'll welcome you up there."

"I really appreciate it." Harry shook Slughorn's hand and Ginny gave him a parting wave before the pair walked up the stairs.

"Are you sure you don't mind me sitting in on this? It's not going to hurt my feelings if you need to speak with her alone." Ginny told him.

"No. We've kept secrets for long enough. I want to share everything with you now." Harry leaned over and kissed her temple before knocking on the headmaster's door.

"Yes, come in." Minerva McGonagall called, and Harry and Ginny entered. Their professor was sitting at Dumbledore's old desk, sifting through paperwork. "Oh, Harry, Ginny, how good to see you! I was wondering when you would arrive." She smiled warmly and motioned for them to sit.

Harry looked above her head at the portraits of the headmasters. Dumbledore was snoozing softly in his chair. "Where's Snape's portrait?" Harry asked without considering his words. After they had escaped his mouth he realized it was a bit blunt, but he was genuinely curious as to why the professor wasn't represented in the room.

"Well, we haven't got a portrait for him yet, Potter. Honestly, we aren't sure he deserves one." McGonagall looked at him steadily. "Perhaps what you're here to tell me will change my mind on that."

Harry sat and absentmindedly trailed his thumb across Ginny's palm. "I know he did some horrible things, but he was still headmaster. And yes, I believe my story will change your mind." Ginny watched Harry's expression as he proceeded to explain to McGonagall why he, Ron, and Hermione had failed to return to Hogwarts the previous year, going into detail about their heroic efforts to obtain the locket from Dolores Umbridge in the ministry and the terrible ordeal at Malfoy Manor, but skimming the details of the majority of the time on the run. However, when he got to the part about Godric Gryffindor's sword in the forest, McGonagall's interest piqued. She didn't interrupt him, but listened to the entire tale intently. Her face twitched with horror when Harry explained the significance of the horcruxes, but she was able to mask most of her emotion.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of talking, Harry finished and took a deep breath. "Professor, I told you all of this because I believe you deserve to know. But I'd really appreciate it if you kept the details of what Ron, Hermione and I did to yourself. I believe Professor Dumbledore wanted the story of the horcruxes to be kept secret, and that's why we had to be extremely careful who we told about them."

"Yes, of course, Potter. Where are Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley? I feel as if you three should get some sort of award!"

"They're actually headed to Australia to try and find Hermione's parents. She tampered with their memories last summer, you see, to keep them safe. And we would really rather not be recognized or anything, although I appreciate you feeling that way."

"Well." Professor McGonagall sighed. "This is certainly a lot to process. What are you two planning to do now?"

"We want to help with the cleanup process." Ginny answered immediately. "That is, if we can stay at the castle for a few days. And I'd really appreciate the opportunity to help repair the Quidditch field, especially." Harry looked at her curiously; she hadn't informed him of this plan.

"Of course you may stay. The Gryffindor dormitories are perfectly fit for residents. And I'd like to have the opportunity to discuss more details of your adventure, Potter. I'm also not sure what they two of you and your friends are planning on doing this fall, but I'd be happy to help you consider your options."

"Thanks, Professor, we'd really appreciate that." Harry said earnestly. "I think Ginny and I will take our bags up to the dorm, and then get started. What would you like us to help with first?"

"I'll meet you at the Quidditch pitch. Coincidentally, I was planning to go examine the damage this afternoon myself.

Harry and Ginny spent the remainder of the afternoon helping Professor McGonagall. Surprisingly, the majority of the work that needed to be done was manual labor, which allowed Harry to stretch his muscles and take out some of his pent up aggression on the fallen beams and stones. Performing some pretty advance spells, the three were able to get a decent start, and Professor McGonagall assured them that their assistance was much appreciated. "A few more days of this and it will be good as new!" she announced happily, and insisted that the pair join her and the other remaining professors for dinner in the Great Hall.

Afterwards, Harry and Ginny returned to the common room to lounge idly by the fire for a few hours. They didn't speak much, but enjoyed each others' company immensely nonetheless. Finally, Harry announced that he was going to bed, and gallantly bid Ginny goodnight. He was halfway up the stairs when he heard Ginny's footsteps quietly following him up, and he silently whooped for joy.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: I own nothing; all belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling. Thanks for all of your reviews, I really appreciate those of you who are keeping with this story!

Chapter Nine

Ginny didn't know why she was this nervous. She and Harry had partaken in their fair share of intimate embraces, and she felt completely comfortable with him.

_Stop lying to yourself_. She thought. _Of course you know why you're nervous. You're alone, in a bed, with Harry Potter, all night, with no possibility of an interruption, and you're both half naked._

Harry was currently propped up on one elbow, the fingers of his other hand tracing slowly up her sides. He was lightly sucking on her neck, but she was stiff as a board.

"Harry." She whispered. He immediately stopped what he was doing, but didn't move away.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?"

"No…I don't know." She sighed, and he pulled back, looking her straight in they eye. Even though it was dark, she could tell that his brow was furrowing. "I'm afraid."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I don't know where this is going." At this, Harry pulled back even more, grabbed his glasses, and sat up, still gazing at her. She took this moment to observe his naked torso. Even though he was thinner than he'd been the year before, his chest was still surprisingly defined. She mindlessly reached up and gently stroked his abs, watching his muscles contract at the unexpected contact.

"That tickles." He smiled. "I should tell you something."

"This sounds serious." Ginny propped herself up on her elbows. They were struggling to find room to talk effectively in the tiny twin sized bed. Obviously, the Gryffindor dormitory beds weren't meant for two grown people.

"It is." He ran his hand through his hair absentmindedly, and then chuckled to himself.

"What's funny?"

"Oh..nothing. Just…my dad used to mess with his hair. To impress girls. But I just do it when I'm nervous."

Ginny suddenly wished she could run HER hands through his hair. But he was clearly trying to tell her something important, so she refrained. "You can tell me anything." She said in what she hoped was an encouraging tone, wishing that she hadn't ruined the mood.

"Well, I don't want to pressure you into anything, Ginny. But lately I've just been kicking myself for being such a prat and wasting so much time with you. It took me forever to realize how much I really liked you..as more than just a friend. And then I had to end that, and I don't exactly regret it because honestly anything could have happened and I would never, ever want to put you in danger. But now I just feel like we could have had all of these years together, but we're stuck now at the beginning. And as much as I want to make up for lost time, I feel like there's some kind of disconnect between us. Like we're caught in this awkward stage between being in a new relationship and knowing each other forever…"

"Harry, I don't exactly know where you're going with this, but I'm not sure I like it-" she interrupted.

"Ginny, I love you. So much. And I don't know what to do. It's making me crazy. I just want to be with you all of the time, but I'm torn because there are other things going on right now, and I don't know how you're feeling, and I don't want to rush you, and I know how upset you are over Fred, and I've never done ANY of this before so I don't even know if I'll be good at it…and I just feel like a fucking mess." He sighed, as if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. Ginny blinked. She had gotten only one thing out of that whole rant.

"You love me?"

His eyes snapped back to hers. She actually felt a sharp intake of breath because they were so expressive. She internally laughed at how cliché this was—his eyes LITERALLY took her breath away.

"Yeah, I really do." He responded almost shyly. Ginny didn't say anything else for a while. She was processing this. Finally, Harry started to look nervous again. "Are you okay over there?"

"I love you too." She moved over to him and wrapped her still-clothed legs around his waist, straddling him. He looked shocked, but ecstatic. "I've loved you since I was eleven. But you already know that." She leaned down and placed a warm kiss below his earlobe. "I've just been terrified, all this time. You always had secrets—with Ron and Hermione. And I never really felt good enough. I mean, you didn't fancy me for SO long…and then you suddenly did, but we all knew that wouldn't last very long, given the circumstances. And then for months I was terrified that you'd turn up dead any day…so I kept telling myself not to get my hopes up, but Harry, as crazy as it sounds, I never gave up on you. And I don't know if this makes me clingy, or insane, but I've pictured our wedding a hundred times in my head. I've pictured our future together, and you're absolutely my favorite person in the world, and I can't imagine not being with you—"

She was interrupted by his soft lips pressing against hers. "How could you ever feel like you're not good enough?" he mumbled through the kiss. "You're perfect."

She pulled back and laughed, leaving her legs and arms wrapped around him. He rubbed her back soothingly, tracing her braline. "But that's not what this is about, Harry. I didn't ask you to stop because I doubt that you care about me. I'm scared because this is…well…it's sex."

Harry blushed furiously. "You thought we were going to have sex tonight?"

"Well…wasn't that the intention?"

"No!" his eyes widened. "I mean, it's not that I don't want to…eventually. But I don't really want to have sex for the first time in Gryffindor tower. And it's too soon, right? I mean, I don't even think I'M ready for that."

Ginny visibly relaxed. "Oh. Okay. Well…in that case then…" she fiercely pressed her lips against his and pushed him back against the headboard. He responded by grabbing her around the waist and pulling her closer to his groin. She inhaled sharply when she felt the bulge there. That was something new. She continued kissing him with an unrestrained passion. She tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth, which he seemed to enjoy immensely. After a few minutes, he flipped her over onto her back and settled himself between her legs. He kissed his way down her neck, over her shoulder, and to the top of her bra, pausing over her breasts. Finally, after a brief moment of contemplation, he placed a chaste kiss on the top of her right breast and looked up at her with a devious grin on his face.

"I think that's enough for tonight."

"What?" she asked, opening her eyes. "Why?"

"Because we just agreed upon not having sex tonight, but if you keep kissing me like that, I may have to change my mind." He slithered up and wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling his head against her chest. "Would you like to put your shirt back on?"

"No, I'm perfect just like this." She replied. Honestly, her jeans were a tad uncomfortable, but she was willing to deal with it if it meant he stayed exactly where he was. After a few minutes, she felt her eyelids drooping.

"Ginny?"

"Mmhm?"

"You know what you said earlier, about it being crazy to think about our future together? Getting married and stuff?"

She was tired enough that she couldn't even find it in herself to be embarrassed about those comments. She merely nodded against his chest.

"I don't think it's crazy at all. And honestly, for the first time in my entire life, I can picture those things happening too. I love you."

She smiled, hugged him a little tighter, and drifted off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: I own nothing. All belongs to J.K. Rowling, of course! I know the ending of this chapter seems like a good place to end the story, but I have a lot more I want to write! Thanks for sticking with it and leaving all the wonderful reviews!

Chapter Ten

Harry awoke the next morning alone. He rolled over, expecting to find Ginny's hair tickling his face, but surprisingly found the bed quite cold and empty. He frowned. The night had been one of the best of his life. He'd fallen asleep truly smiling for the first time in a while, and it upset him that Ginny wasn't there now.

He reached for his glasses and gazed around his dormitory. Nope, no sign of Ginny. He was slightly worried, until he noticed a note.

_Couldn't wake you, you looked so peaceful. I'm just so excited to get to work today I couldn't stay in bed any longer. See you on the Quidditch pitch. –G_

_P.S. last night was amazing. I slept better than I have in months. I love you._

He smiled, glad that the feeling was mutual. Hurrying to dress and get ready, he was on the pitch with her in less than half an hour. She was wearing track pants and a sports tank top, looking quite athletic, her long red hair swinging in a high ponytail.

"Harry! I'm glad you're finally up!" she smiled at him and grabbed his hand, swinging it between them. "There's so much left to do, but I think we can finish it today." Over the course of the next two hours, they performed some complicated magic to improve the condition of the stands and field. Just as they were putting the finishing touches on the goalposts at one end of the pitch, Professor McGonagall strode down the grass towards them.

"This is amazing work, Weasley, Potter! I saw you out here at nearly dawn, it's incredible how dedicated you are to this cause. I'm very proud." Professor McGonagall smiled warmly and put her arm around Ginny's shoulders. "The pair of you must be hungry, it's ten in the morning!"

Harry hadn't even been paying attention to his stomach. At her words, however, he realized that Professor McGonagall was right—he was ravished. "Yeah, I am." He glanced at Ginny, who nodded.

"Well, come in to the castle and get something to eat, I'd like to discuss something with you anyways."

Harry and Ginny followed her up to the castle, hand in hand. When they arrived, they noticed that the Great Hall had been brightened up significantly over the course of the morning. The pair sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table with Professor McGonagall and tentatively took platefuls of assorted breakfast items. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and addressed Harry. "Mr. Potter, what are your plans for next term?"

Harry coughed. He hadn't been expecting that. "Well…to be honest, Professor, I hadn't really thought about it." He looked at Ginny. "I hadn't really considered anything past this week, because honestly, I didn't think I'd be alive for next term." He glanced at Ginny, but her face had a blank expression. He wished they'd had a chance to talk about it privately before it came up with someone else.

"I'm asking, Potter, not because I don't think you're capable of achieving success outside of Hogwarts. I'm asking because I've been appointed permanent Headmistress at Hogwarts."

"Congratulations! You totally deserve it!" Ginny smiled.

"Yes, well, thank you, but the matter at hand is that I'm now in charge of appointing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Harry stopped, spoon in midair, mouth agape. Was she insinuating what he thought she was insinuating?

"I have a proposal for you, Mr. Potter. If you will agree to return to Hogwarts for an extended seventh year, I will employ you as our Defense teacher for the term. You would be set up in your own private apartment in order to keep away from adoring fans and foes alike. You would go through intensive sessions with other instructors in order to achieve excellence on your NEWT examinations in the spring, and would teach regular classes with combined sections of other students. As I understand it, you have quite a bit of practice in Defense instruction already, do you not?" Harry looked at Ginny, who smiled and nodded at Professor McGonagall. "Good. Is it still your desire to become an Auror?"

"I really haven't thought about it. But yeah, I guess it is. I don't know what else I would want to be."

"Well then, we would have to prepare you for your NEWTs in Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, and Charms. I'm sure Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Slughorn and myself will be happy to assist you with that, if you're willing."

"I really appreciate it, Professor. I'll need to think about things with Ginny and Ron and Hermione, obviously, and take some time to think about it, but I'll try and let you know as soon as possible."

"Of course, I understand completely. While we're on the subject, what are your plans for next year, Ms. Weasley?"

Ginny swallowed. "Well, to be honest, Professor, I hadn't decided yet. A lot of it was going to be based on what Harry decided to do." Harry looked at her sharply. How could she base her future plans on his indecision? That was totally irresponsible! "But if he's coming back here, I guess I will too. I really could use some more time playing Quidditch, because I think I'm going to try and play professionally."

"Really?" Professor McGonagall seemed pleasantly surprised. "Well, I would certainly encourage you to continue your studies, and Gryffindor House would certainly benefit from a Quidditch Captain like you." She stood. "I'll leave you two to it then, but please consider my offer, Mr. Potter." He nodded, and she strode away, leaving them alone in the now empty Great Hall.

"Wow." Ginny said, placing her hand on Harry's knee and turning to face him.

"Yeah." He looked at her curiously, trying to gauge her reaction. He sensed a bit of enthusiasm in her eyes, but could tell she was trying to hide it. "So what do you think?"

"What do YOU think, Harry? This decision is totally yours."

"Well…I need to talk to Ron and Hermione about it, I suppose. It would be strange, being here without them, but I expect Hermione will want to come back. I guess I could do the teaching part, I mean it would just be like big DA lessons, right?" Ginny nodded. "And obviously, it would give us plenty of time together…and I don't know what I would do otherwise…and I guess I do still want to be an Auror, so yeah, I think I want to do it."

Her smile was brilliant, and she flung her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy, Harry! I really wanted to come back next year, but not without you, and I didn't think you would ever have a reason to come back to Hogwarts. I really do need another year of Quidditch, as we didn't play last year…and Captain! She said she'd make me Quidditch Captain!"

Harry laughed and hugged Ginny back. "I want to be with you, no matter where that is. But Hogwarts is perfectly fine, to start off. It's the only real home I've ever truly known." They pulled apart and gazed into each others' eyes for a moment. "Okay, what do you say we go finish that Quidditch pitch so the new captain will have a brilliant place to play next term?" Harry stood and offered his hand, which Ginny enthusiastically accepted. They strolled back outside, relishing the fact that they would get to take this walk together, hand in hand, every day for the next year. It was the perfect beginning to a new life together.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: All belongs to J.K. Rowling. Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up, I'm having writer's block with this story. Hopefully it will be wrapped up in the next 2 or 3 chapters. Be sure to check out my other story, which is Next-gen!

Chapter Eleven

Three days later, Harry and Ginny were playing Quidditch on the newly completed pitch. They sped past each other, Harry swerving in and out of the goal hoops, Ginny's hair flowing in the wind behind her. The mid summer day was brilliant—a soft breeze ruffled the grass below, the sun shining above. Harry shouted something unintelligible at Ginny and she screamed nonsense back, throwing her head back to laugh happily. Finally, Harry motioned downward, and she followed him, skidding to a stop practically right on top of him. They tumbled into the grass together, tangled up in each other's limbs. Harry came to rest with his head propped up against her thigh, and she absently ran a hand through his hair while propping herself up and gazing at the beautiful sky.

"What was the best time you had last year?" She asked lazily. She'd heard about some of the more traumatizing experiences, but she assumed there had to have been at least a bit of enjoyment during all those nights with Ron and Hermione.

"I dunno. I mean there wasn't anything particularly good." He closed his eyes and rolled his head into her hand. "Listening to the radio updates got us all pretty jazzed up for a while. When I heard that you tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor I was terrified for your safety, but I'd honestly never been more proud of you." He cracked an eye and grinned up at her. "And going to Godric's Hollow was good in a different way, I guess."

"I thought that's where you barely escaped from Nagini?"

"It was, but before that, Hermione and I saw my parents' old house—there was all this graffiti on it telling me that people were out there rooting for me, so that was good. And then we went to their graves."

She was silent for a moment, considering this. It had to have been difficult for him, but she realized that that night at the graveyard was the closest he'd ever been to his parents since he was an infant.

"What about you?"

She considered this. "There were some good times with Neville and Luna. We plotted all kinds of crazy ideas to get back at the Carrows, and only went through with about half of them. Honestly though, I was terrified all the time. It was hard to stay strong and keep going. If anything had happened to you—and Ron and Hermione—I don't know what I would have done." She closed her eyes and let the sun warm her face. "Harry, when I thought you'd died…I've never been that frantic in my life."

He didn't say anything, but sat up and put his arms around her. They sat like that for a while, relishing in the fact that they were alive, together, on this beautiful day. Suddenly, they heard someone walking down the steps of the stands towards them.

"Oi! Get your hands off my sister, you git!"

"Ron!" Harry released Ginny, but immediately took her hand and stood them both up. "Hermione!"

Ron and Hermione made their way quickly onto the pitch, and Hermione threw her arms around Harry in a fleeting hug, while Ron awkwardly embraced his sister. They then switched, and Hermione squeezed Ginny and Harry and Ron clapped each other on the back.

"How did it go with your parents?" Ginny asked breathlessly.

"It was fantastic! I was able to completely restore their memory. They're at the Burrow now, so your parents can help them figure out what to do now. Dad's going to try and buy back their dental practice and move back into the house." She smiled brilliantly.

"Yeah, she was amazing, seriously. Got it right on the first try, of course." Ron squeezed Hermione's hand. "Mum wants you home, Gin. She sent us to come and get you both."

"Okay, well, we're pretty much finished here anyways, aren't we, Harry?"

"Yeah! Ginny's been putting a lot of work into the Quidditch Pitch, and the inside of the castle looks almost back to normal by now." He shifted his weight on his feet. "I actually…need to talk to you two about something."

"What is it?" Hermione asked sharply, a look of worry crossing her face.

"Well..let's sit." Harry suggested, and Ginny nodded. The foursome resumed sitting where Harry and Ginny had just been, crosslegged in a circle on the grass. Harry looked at Ginny, hoping for some inspiration. He didn't even know where to begin…

Thankfully, Ginny cleared her throat and started explaining the situation. "Professor McGonagall approached Harry and I a few days ago..she had a proposition for us."

Ron snorted, and Hermione gave him a chastising look. "Professor McGonagall wants me to come teach DADA next year." Harry said evenly, looking mostly at Hermione, because he was more sure of her reaction than Ron's.

"Oh, Harry, that's fantastic! Of course you would be a great teacher."

"Yeah, and she said that if I come back next year, she'll make me Quidditch Captain." Ginny smiled. "And Harry will still get to take his NEWTs in other classes to become an Auror, but she's going to give him his own room so he doesn't have to deal with all the adoring fans." This was stated in a teasing tone, and Harry playfully swatted her arm.

"Wow." Hermione grinned. "Well that is some big news."

"Yeah…so I haven't told McGonagall yes yet, because I wanted to talk to the pair of you first, obviously, and see what you were doing…"

"We haven't really discussed it…" Hermione looked shyly at Ron.

"I actually have to tell all of you something." Ron said suddenly. He looked a little worried, as if there were something important that he wanted to get off his chest. "I haven't said anything about it yet because I wanted to focus on getting Hermione's parents back safe and sound, but before we left for Australia George asked me if I would take Fred's place and help him with the joke shop."

There was a moment of silence among the four of them, while each processed this. Finally, Ginny said, "That's great Ron. George really needs you right now, and I was honestly afraid he'd just say screw the joke shop and do something else for a while."

"That's what I thought too," Ron responded. "But George said that Fred wouldn't want him to give up on the dream, and to close the shop would be like closing the book on our brother. He said that if we keep the shop going, we can keep a piece of Fred living on." At this, Harry took Ginny's hand. He noticed that Hermione had tears in her eyes.

"Well, Ronald, I think that's wonderful." Hermione finally said.

"Really? I figured you'd be mad at me for not wanting to finish my NEWT's and become an Auror like Harry."

"There's plenty of time to do that later, if you want to. And George needs you now. I think this is the right thing to do." She wrapped her arm around his neck and leaned over to hug him.

"So…that just leaves you, Hermione." Ginny bit her lip anxiously.

Hermione was quiet for a while. "I really do want to come back and finish my NEWT's, but I don't really like the idea of dealing with all the younger kids, staying in the dormitory, not having Ron around…"

"But Hermione, you'd be in the dormitory with me! We'd both be seventh years, remember?"

"Yes, Ginny, but I think Hermione has a point." Harry said, shaking his head. "Look, if you really want to come back, I bet McGonagall can work something out for you."

"What kind of something am I working out, Mr. Potter?" A voice called from behind him. The foursome turned to see Professor McGonagall walking towards them, her tartan cloak flowing out behind her.

Harry stood, the others quickly following suit. "Hermione, Professor. She's thinking about returning to Hogwarts, but doesn't want to stay in the dormitory with Ginny and the others."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm. "It's just that after last year, I think it would be a hard adjustment to be…back to the way things were…before…"

"It's okay, Hermione, I understand." Ginny gave her friend a genuine smile.

"Yes, well, it is understandable, and since you've taken a year off, you're going to be older than the other seventh years, so I believe it would be a bit inappropriate for you to stay in the dormitory." McGonagall pursed her lips and tapped her fingers together. "I believe I might have a solution."

Hermione looked hopeful. "Really?"

"How would you feel about being Head Girl, Miss Granger? You certainly deserve it more than many students who have received the honor in the past few decades, and you would get your own quarters and a common room to be shared with Head Boy."

"Head Girl! Hermione, that's fantastic!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione looked somewhat shocked but mostly pleased with herself. "Are you sure, Ron? You don't mind?"

He gazed at her in wonder. "Are you kidding? Of course I don't mind. You have to come back to Hogwarts, you'd be lost if you didn't." He hugged her and smoothed her hair down.

"Mr. Weasley, is it my understanding that you will not be returning to Hogwarts this term?" McGonagall asked.

Ron blushed. "Well…yeah, Professor. My brother George has asked me to go into business with him, you know, at the joke shop…"

McGonagall kept an indifferent expression on her face. "Well, academia isn't everything. I believe it's very noble of you to assist your brother in this time of tragic loss. We will miss you in Gryffindor House, but rest assured that you will be granted visits to your sister and your friends whenever you can get away."

Ron blushed even deeper. "Really…wow. Thanks, Professor." He didn't know what else to say, so he looked at his hands and shifted his weight.

"Well, I certainly appreciate your assistance with the Quidditch Pitch, Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall said approvingly, looking around.

"Yeah, Ginny, it really looks great." Hermione smiled and put her arm around her friend. "But we really ought to get back before your mum has a panic attack wondering what's taking so long."

"Yes, I guess we should." Ginny said, taking Harry's hand and looking reluctantly once more at the pitch.

"Thanks, Professor McGonagall, for everything." Harry smiled at his professor, following his best friends and his girlfriend as they headed back up toward the castle.

Professor McGonagall simply nodded, her hands folded behind her back. "I'll see you three on September 1st. And Mr. Weasley—good luck."

Ron turned and smiled, and Hermione hummed to herself. Their plans were falling into place nicely.


End file.
